Oklahoma State University Athletics
Dodd Secures Bid to NCAA 800-Meter Final
June 08, 2017 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track, Cowgirl Cross Country & Track
Eugene, Ore. – Oklahoma State junior Kaylee Dodd won heat one of the 800-meter semifinal to earn an automatic place in the NCAA final, Thursday at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Dodd recorded a personal best 2:04.35 en rout to securing a bid in Saturday's 800-meter final.
Only the top-two places earned automatic advancement, and Dodd sat in the back of the pack for the first 600 meters. Coming into the final turn, Dodd surged to third and then overtook the leader with 20 meters to go for the No. 5 seed heading into the final.
"I didn't mind being at the back because it meant I could stay out of trouble," Dodd said. "As the gap opened up, I knew it was time to start making my move.
"We work a lot on 150s to make sure we have enough for that last gear," Dodd said.
"Coach [Dave] Smith said, 'make sure you save enough for that last 50 because that's going to be what makes or breaks it.'"
It was Dodd's second consecutive race recording an outdoor personal best, and the time is her all-time personal best, topping her NCAA Indoor qualifying time of 2:04.68 from earlier this year. The new PR is the fourth-fastest time in school history.
"I feel like I can go quicker, but it's nice to come out and feel good running a personal best," Dodd said. "It's not necessarily about times right now because it's championship racing. I definitely feel like I can perform best in that situation."
Dodd's qualification to the NCAA final is her first as a Cowgirl. The England international nearly earned a place in the 2017 indoor final, but was outpaced by two-tenths of a second and finished ninth overall.
"All day I was telling myself to stay calm, but I kept thinking about that feeling I had when I just missed out," Dodd said. "I was angry, disappointed and upset. I didn't want to feel like that again. Coach said at regionals, 'this could be your one chance, so make it count.' You never know what's going to happen, so I just wanted to take advantage of the situation and go for it."
The women's 800-meter final is scheduled for Saturday at 6:44 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on ESPN.
"It's going to be tough, but I'm just happy to be competing against some of he best girls in the country," Dodd said.
Cowgirl senior Kaela Edwards saw her OSU career come to a close Thursday in the 1,500-meter semifinal.
The five-time first-team All-American took sixth in the second heat of the 1,500 semi and missed out on the final qualifying place by just three-hundredths of a second, crossing the line in 4:19.40.
Edwards leaves OSU with the highest point total at NCAA Indoor Championships in school history. Her 29 points ties her for the top-spot with Cowboy legend Joe Dial.
Edwards dominated the conference indoors, winning a school record six Big 12 titles. She scored three times at outdoor conference championships, and brought home her first outdoor conference title this season in the 1,500.
She set the collegiate record in the 1,000-meter run in January, and won the NCAA mile title back in 2016, becoming just the fourth Cowgirl to take home an indoor title.
Her name tops two lists in OSU's record book, including the indoor mile and 1,00-meter run, and Edwards' name is littered across the top-10 in the indoor and outdoor 800-meter runs, 1,500-meter run, 400-meter run and 3,000-meter run.
The second-team All-America honor gives Edwards seven honors total, and keeps her at fourth all-time on OSU's list of top point scorers at NCAA Championships.
She was named to the CoSIDA academic all-region team in 2017, and took home first-team academic all-conference honors in each year of competition.
The NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships resume, and conclude, Friday, and OSU seniors Craig Nowak and Josh Thompson represent the Pokes in the 1,500-meter final.
Ieva Zarankaite makes her NCAA Championship debut in the women's discus final and Dodd runs in the 800 final Saturday on the final day of the NCAA track and field season.
NCAA Outdoor Championships | June 8, 2017 | Eugene, Oregon
Women's Results
800 Meters Semifinal
5. Kaylee Dodd – 2:04.35Q
1,500 Meters Semifinal
15. Kaela Edwards – 4:19.40
Dodd recorded a personal best 2:04.35 en rout to securing a bid in Saturday's 800-meter final.
Only the top-two places earned automatic advancement, and Dodd sat in the back of the pack for the first 600 meters. Coming into the final turn, Dodd surged to third and then overtook the leader with 20 meters to go for the No. 5 seed heading into the final.
"I didn't mind being at the back because it meant I could stay out of trouble," Dodd said. "As the gap opened up, I knew it was time to start making my move.
"We work a lot on 150s to make sure we have enough for that last gear," Dodd said.
"Coach [Dave] Smith said, 'make sure you save enough for that last 50 because that's going to be what makes or breaks it.'"
It was Dodd's second consecutive race recording an outdoor personal best, and the time is her all-time personal best, topping her NCAA Indoor qualifying time of 2:04.68 from earlier this year. The new PR is the fourth-fastest time in school history.
"I feel like I can go quicker, but it's nice to come out and feel good running a personal best," Dodd said. "It's not necessarily about times right now because it's championship racing. I definitely feel like I can perform best in that situation."
Dodd's qualification to the NCAA final is her first as a Cowgirl. The England international nearly earned a place in the 2017 indoor final, but was outpaced by two-tenths of a second and finished ninth overall.
"All day I was telling myself to stay calm, but I kept thinking about that feeling I had when I just missed out," Dodd said. "I was angry, disappointed and upset. I didn't want to feel like that again. Coach said at regionals, 'this could be your one chance, so make it count.' You never know what's going to happen, so I just wanted to take advantage of the situation and go for it."
The women's 800-meter final is scheduled for Saturday at 6:44 p.m. CT and will be broadcast live on ESPN.
"It's going to be tough, but I'm just happy to be competing against some of he best girls in the country," Dodd said.
Cowgirl senior Kaela Edwards saw her OSU career come to a close Thursday in the 1,500-meter semifinal.
The five-time first-team All-American took sixth in the second heat of the 1,500 semi and missed out on the final qualifying place by just three-hundredths of a second, crossing the line in 4:19.40.
Edwards leaves OSU with the highest point total at NCAA Indoor Championships in school history. Her 29 points ties her for the top-spot with Cowboy legend Joe Dial.
Edwards dominated the conference indoors, winning a school record six Big 12 titles. She scored three times at outdoor conference championships, and brought home her first outdoor conference title this season in the 1,500.
She set the collegiate record in the 1,000-meter run in January, and won the NCAA mile title back in 2016, becoming just the fourth Cowgirl to take home an indoor title.
Her name tops two lists in OSU's record book, including the indoor mile and 1,00-meter run, and Edwards' name is littered across the top-10 in the indoor and outdoor 800-meter runs, 1,500-meter run, 400-meter run and 3,000-meter run.
The second-team All-America honor gives Edwards seven honors total, and keeps her at fourth all-time on OSU's list of top point scorers at NCAA Championships.
She was named to the CoSIDA academic all-region team in 2017, and took home first-team academic all-conference honors in each year of competition.
The NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships resume, and conclude, Friday, and OSU seniors Craig Nowak and Josh Thompson represent the Pokes in the 1,500-meter final.
Ieva Zarankaite makes her NCAA Championship debut in the women's discus final and Dodd runs in the 800 final Saturday on the final day of the NCAA track and field season.
NCAA Outdoor Championships | June 8, 2017 | Eugene, Oregon
Women's Results
800 Meters Semifinal
5. Kaylee Dodd – 2:04.35Q
1,500 Meters Semifinal
15. Kaela Edwards – 4:19.40
Players Mentioned
Middle Distance
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Middle Distance
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Distance
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